, and in all my life I never saw two
creatures fighting in such earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, and
the steam poured out of their nostrils incessantly. At times, they
would back from each other like a pair of rams, and then rush together
head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with the terrible collision.
One would have fancied that they would break them at every fresh
encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's skull before that
time. I remember having fired a musket at one that stood fronting me
not more than six feet distant, when, to my surprise, the bullet
flattened and fell to the ground before the nose of the buffalo! The
creature was not less astonished than myself, as up to that time it had
not seen me.

"Well," continued Basil after a pause, "I did not stop long to watch the
battle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had seen
such many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I paused just long
enough to select the one that appeared to have the most fat upon his
flanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed for the heart, and
my aim was a true one, for the animal came to its knees along with the
crack. Just at that moment the other was charging upon it, and, to my
surprise, it continued to run on, until striking the wounded one full
butt upon the forehead, it knocked the latter right over upon its side;
where, after giving half-a-dozen kicks, it lay quite dead.

"The remaining bull had dashed some paces beyond the spot, and now
turned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagonist
stretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much astonished as I
was. At first, no doubt, he fancied himself the author of a grand
_coup_, for it was plain that up to this time he had neither noticed my
presence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing noise that both
were making had drowned the latter; and the dust, together with the long
shaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had prevented him from seeing
anything more than his rival, with whom he was engaged. Now that the
other was no longer able to stand before him, and thinking it was
himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his head and snorted in
triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was thrown back from his eyes,
and the dust having somewhat settled away, he sighted me, where I stood
reloading my gun. I fancied he would take off before I could finish,
and I made all the haste in my power--so muc